What is Quibi? Shows, movies, price, and everything else you need to know

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, the demand for streaming services has never been higher. Movies are heading to Disney Plus shortly after their theatrical release, and popular streaming services Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video are adding content en masse. Now there's a new competitor entering the arena, but it's approaching things in an entirely novel way.

Quibi is an app-based streaming service that launched early on April 6 with entirely original content – think Apple TV+. The focus is "quick bites" and "big stories," or shorter content that can only be viewed on mobile devices, with A-list celebs like Steven Spielberg, Chrissy Teigen, Sophie Turner, and LeBron James involved, plus nostalgic content fine-tuned to maximize viewers. There's a ton of shows already available on the app, and 11 more coming later in April, including a Joe Jonas-hosted travel series, a WWE Superstar show called Fight Like a Girl, and an Anna Kendrick comedy series. Oh, and a revival of cult comedy series Reno 911!

Here's everything you need to know about Quibi, including how to get it and what shows are coming soon.

What is Quibi?

Quibi is the brainchild of DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, offering episodes no longer than ten minutes. In fact, the name "Quibi" is a shortening of the phrase "quick bites". It's a mobile-only streaming service that launched in early April 2020 in the US, with a UK and Australia release date TBD.

Quibi's content falls into three categories: movies in chapters, unscripted or documentary shows, and daily essentials or curated bits of news, entertainment, and sports that fall under seven minutes.

Is Quibi free?

Technically, no (see the cost below), but the service is currently running a deal where you can sign up and get 90 days free.

How much does Quibi cost?

Quibi subscriptions fall under two tiers: a $4.99/month, ad-supported subscription, where videos under five minutes get 10-second ads and longer videos will get 15-second ads. The second, ad-free tier is $7.99/month.

Right now, however, Quibi is offering the first 90 days free.

How to download the Quibi app

Head to the Quibi site for details on how to download the app, or find it in the Apple Store for iOS devices or the Google Play store for Android devices.

Quibi movies

Quibi is approaching movies from an entirely different angle – in pieces. The "movies in chapters" angle means each movie has been broken up into chunks of ten minutes or less, which gives filmmakers a chance to experiment wildly with cliffhangers and plot devices. Plus, you can watch the movies in either vertical or horizontal view, which makes cinematography a major factor as well. However these movies turn out, it's certainly an interesting experiment, and one that has drawn some big-ticket names, including Sam Raimi, Steven Spielberg, and Christoph Waltz.

Here are all the movies in chapters that are currently on or coming soon to Quibi (click the movie titles to check out their trailers):

When The Streetlights Go On (available now): Queen Latifah stars as a cop investigating a small-town murder that took place in the blistering heat of the summer of 1995.

Flipped (available now): Kaitlin Olson and Will Forte star as wannabe home renovation stars who end up flipping a house for a drug cartel.

Quibi shows and docuseries

Quibi has a handful of shows tailored to scratching the nostalgia itch, including a revamped series of Punk'd with Chance the Rapper in Ashton Kutcher's place, and an adult version of the Nickelodeon kids competition Legends of the Hidden Temple (which is currently TBD, as it was meant to begin shooting in April). But there's also a ton of content banking on big-name celebs to draw interest: like Chrissy Teigen, Offset, and Joe Jonas, just to name a few.

Here's all the unscripted and documentary shows that are currently on or coming soon to Quibi (click the show titles to check out their trailers):

&Music(available now): A look at the members of the music industry you don't often hear about, like choreographers and lighting directors (there's an Ariana Grande episode!!).

Punk'd (available now): Ashton Kutcher's famous celebrity prank show is back (kind of). Now it's hosted by Chance the Rapper and features celebs like Liza Koshy and Megan thee Stallion.

Run This City (available now): Remember how Parks and Recreation's Ben Wyatt was a super-young mayor and it was a disaster? Run This City is a docuseries about that happening in real life, plus federal indictment.

The Sauce (available now): Sibling dance duo Ayo and Teo travel around the world to find the best dancers with the most sauce (read: style, flavor, sickness). Oh, and it's produced by Usher.

Singled Out (available now): It's a reboot of MTV's '90s dating show, but now it's hosted by Keke Palmer and features a modern spin.

Skrrt with Offset (available now): Offset, aka one-third of rap group Migos, hosts a show that looks at celebrity's wild cars. As Offset himself once said "Hit the gas, it got flames out the rears (Skrrt)//It's a race to the bag, get the mills (Hey)."

Thanks a Million (available now): Executive producer Jennifer Lopez and a crew of fellow celebs give away $100,000 each to a person who impacted each of their lives.

Quibi daily news programs

Quibi's 'Daily Essentials' are exactly what they sound like – daily news programs from the world of sports, entertainment, gaming, and more. No episode will run longer than seven minutes, so expect a daily dose of bite-sized knowledge on a menagerie of subjects.

60 in 6 by CBS News: CBS show 60 Minutes, but in 6 minutes. Get it?

All the Feels by the Dodo: You know The Dodo, the source of almost all the squee-worthy, feel-good animal content on the web? Yeah, it's got a show now.

Around the World by BBC News

Close Up by E! News: Your source for pop culture news and hot celeb goss.

The Daily Chill: An ASMR show with visuals set to the soothing sounds.

Code 8 Spin-Off (TBD): A sequel to the 2019 film in which 4% of the world has supernatural abilities.

Crazy Talented (TBD): A patient in a psych ward convinces other patients they have superpowers and must help save the world from aliens.

CURS_R (TBD): Ridley Scott executive produces this drama about a poor college student who dries to win cash by playing an obscure '80s survival computer game.

Cup of Joe (TBD): It's a Joe Jonas travel show!

Dead Spots (TBD): A janitor for LA's supernatural community is sick of cleaning up vampire messes and switches it up. The series is based on Melissa F. Olson's novel and written by Pitch Perfect screenwriter Kay Cannon.

Die Hart (TBD): Kevin Hart plays Kevin Hart in a comedy series about Kevin Hart trying to become an action star, with John Travolta, Josh Hartnett, and Nathalie Emmanuel guest starring.

Don't Look Deeper (TBD): A high schooler thinks she may not be human, and discovers the dangerous world that comes with such a status in this series starring Emily Mortimer and Don Cheadle. It's directed and executive produced by Catherine Hardwicke.

Emma (TBD): A horror series about a young pregnant woman and the strange side effects of her pregnancy, starring AnnaSophia Robb.

Mapleworth Murders (TBD): A comedy procedural from John Lutz and Paula Pell, with Pell investigating a series of murders in a small town. There's an all-star cast set to show up every week, including Terry Crews, Tim Meadows, Patton Oswalt, Fred Armisen, and more.

Spielberg's After Dark (TBD): It is what it sounds like - a horror series by Spielberg that you can only watch at night.

Squeaky Clean (TBD): A cleaning competition series pitting "Heroes of Hygiene" against each other. Where does my mother sign up?

Swimming With Sharks (TBD): A female assistant to a movie mogul changes up the game in a modern take on the 1994 satire.

This Joka (TBD): Will Smith hosts a stand=up comedy series.

Tomie (TBD): The popular manga series by Junji Ito gets a live-action take, directed by Alexandre Aja.

Toys (TBD): Based on the James Patterson novel, this dystopian drama tells the story of a world where humans are split between 'Elites' and 'Basics' aka the way I categorize my friends.

Transmissions (TBD): A sci-fi thriller about a scientist all alone in an observatory who starts to get signals from space.

Trill League (TBD): 50 Cent executive produced this animated adaptation of an indie graphic novel about a league of black superheroes.

Trip (TBD): Two best friends' Fire Island summer vacation turns into a romance - and it's inspired by Pride and Prejudice!

Untitled Guillermo del Toro project (TBD): A zombie series by the icon is said to be in the works at Quibi.

Winos (TBD): A Silicon Valley guy tries to branch out into the winery world.

Varsity Blues (TBD): A reboot of the classic 1999 film, with two of the movie's producers signed onto the project.

Wireless (TBD): A college student gets trapped in the Colorado mountains.

Wolves and Villagers (TBD): Naomi Watts starts in a horror series that, according to TV Guide, has been described by Jeffrey Katzenberg as "Fatal Attraction 2.0."

So that's that, all we know about the new app-based streaming service Quibi, and it's laundry list of shows and A-list talent. Will the app be a successful new take on streaming? Stay tuned and find out.